Page 13 - Alcorn Magazine - Spring, 2019

Alcorn Defeats Southern At Home To Reclaim SWAC Championship
Down by one headed into the fourth quarter, the Alcorn State University football program scored the nal 10 points of the game to win the 2018 SWAC Champi-
onship 37-28 over Southern on Saturday at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium.
e go-ahead score was a 41-yard eld goal by junior Corey Mc- Cullough with 11:31 left. e Braves (9-3, 6-1 SWAC) put the game away with a 14-yard touchdown run by junior De’Shawn Waller with 3:47 remaining.
Junior quarterback Noah Johnson, the 2018 SWAC O ensive Player of the Year, was named the 2018 SWAC Championship O ensive MVP after the game. He threw for 135 yards on 18- of-25 passing, and rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns against the Jaguars (7-4, 6-1 SWAC).
e SWAC Championship Defensive MVP honor was given to junior Brelion Hollis. He led the Braves with seven tackles, in- cluding 0.5 sacks. Alcorn sacked SU quarterback Ladarius Skelt- on six times, and junior Terry Whittington had 1.5.
Alcorn outgained SU 518-347 in total o ense, including 370- 123 in rushing. Waller, the 2018 SWAC Newcomer of the Year, ran for a game-high 177 yards and three touchdowns, including an 83-yard score.
Johnson connected with eight di erent receivers in the air. Se- nior Dayall Harris hauled in a team-high six receptions for 50 yards.
Back on defense, junior Javen Morrison grabbed an interception and returned it 38 yards. Sophomore Qwynnterrio Cole tied for a team-high seven tackles and also had a pair of pass breakups. Both Morrison and Cole were All-Conference First-Team hon- orees.
Skelton was dangerous all night for the Jags as he totaled four touchdowns. He threw for 194 yards and a score and ran for 65 yards and three touchdowns. Trey Smith caught seven passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.
e Jaguars got the ball rst and started with good eld position after the kick return was brought out to the SU 46. Skelton kept
the rst play on a QB-option run and picked up 15 yards to the Alcorn 39. SU was then situated with a 4th-and-1 at the Alcorn 30 and got the rst down on a two-yard run by Devon Benn. e Jaguars scored on the following play on a 28-yard run to the left by Skelton to take a 7-0 lead at the 12:26 mark.
On Alcorn’s rst possession, the Braves started with a 12-yard completion to Harris. Johnson then kept it himself on a dash to the right for a gain of 22 to the SU 42. e Braves advanced the ball to the SU 26 after a pass interference call, and a rst-down grab by freshman Juan Anthony Jr. on a screen set up Alcorn in the red zone at the SU 13. e Braves capped the series with a 13-yard touchdown run by Waller to the right to tie it 7-7 with 8:35 left.
e Braves started their second series at their own 17 when Waller took the carry, darted through the middle, and was gone down the right side for a touchdown on the very rst play. It gave Alcorn a 14-7 edge with 6:03 remaining in the rst.
e Jaguars were on the move late in the rst quarter after a 23- yard run by Benn moved it to the Alcorn 26. SU evened it 14-14 on a 22-yard pass to Smith with 2:43 to go.
e rst turnover of the game went SU’s way early in the second. It happened after the Braves were pushed back on a 3rd-and-30 after a pair of penalties, and the ball came loose after a short pass was fumbled and recovered by the Jaguars at their own 34.
e Jaguars moved backward after the turnover. On second down, Skelton was sacked by senior Isiah omas, and Whit- tington and came out of the game. On third down, John Lamp- ley was sacked by sophomore Chris Monroe.
e Braves took over with about ve minutes left, and Johnson started it o with a 24-yard run to the Alcorn 49. A screen pass to junior Demetrius Lewis went for 17 yards to the SU 39. After a third-down pass come up short of the rst-down marker, the Braves went for it on 4th-and 2 and Waller ran it all the way in for a touchdown; however, there were ags on the eld, and it came back for holding. Alcorn was forced to punt, and it went into the end zone for a touchback.
BRAVES SPORTS
ALCORN.EDU 11